Little Casterton. church : all saints

Little Casterton boasts one of the smallest churches in the county of Rutland, and one of the smallest churches to be found in the area covered by this website. Travellers going through the village could be forgiven for not knowing that there was even a church here, All Saints being hidden behind a row of houses. No tower or spire here, just a bellcote at the west end. The original structure built here in the 12th century would have covered the area today occupied by the nave. The north aisle was added around 1190 and the south aisle was added in the early 13th century.At that time a new chancel was built and the bell cote added at the western end of the nave. The height of the nave was added by the addition of a clerestory in the 15th century. The church was restored in the years 1810 - 1811, at which time the north aisle was rebuilt and the chancel extended. In 1837 a new porch was added. Further work here was undertaken in 1908, at which point a norman tynpanum was found built in to the sill of the west window of the nave. This tunpanum features a depiction of the tree of life, with three circles at either side. Two bells hang here. The first is blank and the second was cast locally, by Tobias Norris I of the Stamford Bellfoundry. This is dated 1608, and is an early bell of his, and the earliest of his bells to be found in Rutland. It is inscribed 'Cvm Voco Venite' which I have translated (probably very badly) as Come when I call. The church here is slightly unusual for Rutland, in that it is kept locked. At the time of typing this I have not gained access to this church but hope to very soon, at which point this page will be updated.